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The Yugoslav league (ranked as high as 4th in UEFA coefficients) and the Soviet league (ranked as high as 2nd) were able to compete with the big 5 to some extent in the old European Cup and even had winners (in 1991 Red Star Belgrade won the EC). Although communism sucked, these countries had successful domestic leagues, based on a policy of cross-border leagues. I feel that the only way that Eastern and Southern Europe will ever compete with Western Europe again is to form cross-border leagues. However, many questions would be asked.
Namely:
1) Will the cross-border leagues be connected to national feeder leagues?
2) How will CL and EL participation be awarded?
3) What will happen to clubs that don't make the cut?
4) How will promotion and relegation take place?
5) What will happen to domestic cups?
6) Will there be a cross-border league cup?
7) Will Champions League TV money pool share be attributed to individual nations or regions?
(Feel free to give your own opinions on these questions)
Obviously, political instability would prevent certain countries from forming cross-border leagues so with that in mind I will list possible cross-border leagues as well as countries too big or too small to be part of these leagues (UEFA ranking of each country's domestic league in parentheses).
Countries too large or politically unable to form cross-border leagues:
Spain (1)
Germany (2)
England (3)
Italy (4)
Portugal (5)
France (6)
Russia (7)- they don't get a long with anyone but Belarus
Turkey (11)
Israel (20)
Belarus (22)- political dictatorship (not a good idea to merge with anyone else)
Scotland (23)
Azerbaijan (28)- can't merge with Georgia or Armenia for political purposes
Kazakhstan (30)- too far from anyone else
Countries too small:
Moldova (33)- can't compete with its neighbors
Iceland (34)- too far from anyone else
Georgia (35)- can't merge with Azerbaijan or Armenia for political purposes
Bosnia (37)- can't get along with its closest neighbors
Luxembourg (40)- can't compete with its neighbors
Faroe Islands (48)- too far from anyone else
Armenia (49)- can't merge with Georgia or Azerbaijan for political purposes
Malta (50)- too far from anyone else
Wales (51)- can't merge with Scotland, Ireland, or N. Ireland due to distance, England due to competitiveness
Andorra (52)- can't compete with its neighbors
Gibraltar (53)- can't compete with its neighbors
San Marino (54)- can't compete with its neighbors
(These two lists are comprised of a combined 26 countries, leaving 28 other UEFA members+Kosovo to form cross-border leagues).
Cross-border leagues:
Slavic League: Ukraine (
, Czech Republic (13), Poland (19), Slovakia (32)
BeNe League: Belgium (9), Netherlands (10)
Southern Europe League: Switzerland (12), Austria (16), Croatia (17), Slovenia (26), Lichtenstein (38)
Greek Diaspora League: Greece (14), Cyprus (18)
Balkan League: Romania (15), Bulgaria (25), Hungary (31)
Scandinavian League: Sweden (21), Denmark (24), Norway (27)
Adriatic League: Serbia (29), Macedonia (42), Montenegro (45)
Baltic League: Finland (36), Lithuania (44), Latvia (46), Estonia (47)
Unified Ireland League: Ireland (39), N. Ireland (44)
Greater Albanian League: Albania (41), Kosovo (NR)
Answers to questions (feel free to rebuttal):
1) I would have a two-division cross-border setup connected by promotion/relegation to national 3rd divisions.
2) The highest-place club from each country would be the CL representative. I would stipulate that each country has at least 3 clubs in the league at all times to allow for 2 EL spots.
3) Clubs that don't make the cut would play either in the 2nd regional division or 3rd national division.
4) A set quota of teams per country (even or otherwise) for the whole 2-division setup will be stipulated, making sure that at least 3 clubs per country are in the top division. The number of clubs a country has in each division can fluctuate, but the total number of clubs from one country in both divisions combined most remain constant.
5) Domestic cups will remain as usual, and will take on an even more important meaning as it is the only chance clubs outside the top two divisions will get to face their regional compatriots.
6) I would not have a cross-border league cup as most of these leagues should have 18-20 clubs to maximize TV deals and profits, leaving time only for domestic cups.
7) Personally, I would distribute the money to the cross-border FA so that clubs can receive more money than if it was only distributed to individual countries.
Namely:
1) Will the cross-border leagues be connected to national feeder leagues?
2) How will CL and EL participation be awarded?
3) What will happen to clubs that don't make the cut?
4) How will promotion and relegation take place?
5) What will happen to domestic cups?
6) Will there be a cross-border league cup?
7) Will Champions League TV money pool share be attributed to individual nations or regions?
(Feel free to give your own opinions on these questions)
Obviously, political instability would prevent certain countries from forming cross-border leagues so with that in mind I will list possible cross-border leagues as well as countries too big or too small to be part of these leagues (UEFA ranking of each country's domestic league in parentheses).
Countries too large or politically unable to form cross-border leagues:
Spain (1)
Germany (2)
England (3)
Italy (4)
Portugal (5)
France (6)
Russia (7)- they don't get a long with anyone but Belarus
Turkey (11)
Israel (20)
Belarus (22)- political dictatorship (not a good idea to merge with anyone else)
Scotland (23)
Azerbaijan (28)- can't merge with Georgia or Armenia for political purposes
Kazakhstan (30)- too far from anyone else
Countries too small:
Moldova (33)- can't compete with its neighbors
Iceland (34)- too far from anyone else
Georgia (35)- can't merge with Azerbaijan or Armenia for political purposes
Bosnia (37)- can't get along with its closest neighbors
Luxembourg (40)- can't compete with its neighbors
Faroe Islands (48)- too far from anyone else
Armenia (49)- can't merge with Georgia or Azerbaijan for political purposes
Malta (50)- too far from anyone else
Wales (51)- can't merge with Scotland, Ireland, or N. Ireland due to distance, England due to competitiveness
Andorra (52)- can't compete with its neighbors
Gibraltar (53)- can't compete with its neighbors
San Marino (54)- can't compete with its neighbors
(These two lists are comprised of a combined 26 countries, leaving 28 other UEFA members+Kosovo to form cross-border leagues).
Cross-border leagues:
Slavic League: Ukraine (
, Czech Republic (13), Poland (19), Slovakia (32)BeNe League: Belgium (9), Netherlands (10)
Southern Europe League: Switzerland (12), Austria (16), Croatia (17), Slovenia (26), Lichtenstein (38)
Greek Diaspora League: Greece (14), Cyprus (18)
Balkan League: Romania (15), Bulgaria (25), Hungary (31)
Scandinavian League: Sweden (21), Denmark (24), Norway (27)
Adriatic League: Serbia (29), Macedonia (42), Montenegro (45)
Baltic League: Finland (36), Lithuania (44), Latvia (46), Estonia (47)
Unified Ireland League: Ireland (39), N. Ireland (44)
Greater Albanian League: Albania (41), Kosovo (NR)
Answers to questions (feel free to rebuttal):
1) I would have a two-division cross-border setup connected by promotion/relegation to national 3rd divisions.
2) The highest-place club from each country would be the CL representative. I would stipulate that each country has at least 3 clubs in the league at all times to allow for 2 EL spots.
3) Clubs that don't make the cut would play either in the 2nd regional division or 3rd national division.
4) A set quota of teams per country (even or otherwise) for the whole 2-division setup will be stipulated, making sure that at least 3 clubs per country are in the top division. The number of clubs a country has in each division can fluctuate, but the total number of clubs from one country in both divisions combined most remain constant.
5) Domestic cups will remain as usual, and will take on an even more important meaning as it is the only chance clubs outside the top two divisions will get to face their regional compatriots.
6) I would not have a cross-border league cup as most of these leagues should have 18-20 clubs to maximize TV deals and profits, leaving time only for domestic cups.
7) Personally, I would distribute the money to the cross-border FA so that clubs can receive more money than if it was only distributed to individual countries.
